Gambling Awareness Nova Scotia (formerly Nova Scotia Gaming Foundation) was established in March 1998, pursuant to the Gaming Control Act and Provincial Finance Act. The purpose of GANS is to receive, maintain, and disburse monies in support of research or education related to gambling or treatment and remediation of the effects of gambling.

How is Gambling Awareness Nova Scotia funded? Where does our money come from?

The distribution of funds that Gambling Awareness Nova Scotia (GANS) receives is outlined in a Memorandum of Agreement between GANS and the Department of Health and Wellness (formerly the Department of Health Promotion and Protection): Under the terms of their retailer agreements, VLT retailers contribute 1% of their annual VLT commission to GANS. The Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation matches this amount.

In addition to the annual monies it receives, GANS has an account known as the Community Development Account (CDA). The interest on this account is also distributed as per the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement.

How much money does Gambling Awareness Nova Scotia receive?

The funds received through the VLT formula have experienced a steady decline in the last number of years, as a direct result of recent actions taken to reduce the number of VLT machines in Nova Scotia.

Since 2004, GANS has received the following amounts through the VLT formula:

    2004-2005 - $953,060
    2005–2006 - $842,198
    2006–2007 - $709,455

2007-2008 - $662,592

2008-2009 - $655,218

2009-2010 - $630,876

2010-2011 - $595,724

What does GANS do with its funds? Where does our money go?

The Memorandum of Agreement between Gambling Awareness Nova Scotia and the Department of Health and Wellness outlines the disbursement of funds. Simply put, the operating costs for GANS are taken from the total revenue and the remaining balance is disbursed accordingly.